ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area GFCI's and Aluminum Wire

It finally happened .... I came across some aluminum wire in a trailer. Now the fun begins.

For those who have not worked on trailers, they are typically glued together. As a result, opening the walls really isn't an option, and re-pulling the wires is problematic - unless you want to demolish the trailer, and start over!

So, I'm doing the next-best thing ... replacing what wire I can find, and using Co/Alr rated devices. Here's where the trouble begins ....

My local parts houses scratch their heads at the request for rated GFCI receptacles. Leviton assures me that there is no such thing - at least, in their inventory.

Does anyone have a source for Co/Alr rated GFCI's?

(FWIW, this trailer was made before GFCI's were required. While I have 'normal' device boxes, I really want to add GFCI's to the kitchen and bathroom).

Would it be possible to use a pigtail of copper (with approved splicing methods)?

How about the dead front (faceless) gfci devices mounted at the panel location for those circuits. Run copper from the Panel to gfci device and an approved method for pig tailing Al to Cu at the GFCI device near panel

Wow, that is a really good one. I can honestly say that I've never encountered this situation. I'm in agreement that finding CO/ALR rated GFI receptacles is likely impossible. I can only imagine an approved method of pigtail splicing and more than likely......an extension box.

In chat you said that the panel is Zinsco, is the panel going to be replaced? If so, how about a GFCI circuit breaker????

I guess it comes down to how many Alumiconns you can get in a box with a GFCI. I see a 1900 box and a ring in your future.

I was half kidding in that last post but if you gave them a quad with a GFCI and a CO/ALr receptacle you would only have one pair of splices. Splice L/N into the GFCI and use copper jumpers between the receptacles.

Alas, try as I might, I can find nothing wrong with the panel ... plus, with it installed indoors, recessed into the wall, AND it being a trailer (nearly impossible to patch) ... I'm not about to change it. Zinsco lives on ...

Today was productive, in that I now have a very good idea as to what is wrong with the trailer. This, my friends, is why you need to have a megger!

Anyway, I need only replace two sections of wire. Naturally, the least accessible one is guarded by a 35 pound black widow spider ... at least, that's how it looked while I was under the trailer. I just PRAY the brick I hit it with didn't just make it mad!

So, it looks like I'll be doing a fair amount of pigtailing. Apart from the GFCI's, I'll need to do this at the light fixtures.
The King "AlumiConn" connectors look to cost in the neighborhood of $3 each. That's ten bucks' of connectors in a box. I suspect I'll be 'daisy chaining' the $2.60 Cu/Alr devices, rather than my usual pigtail method.
T&B, who had assured me at "counter day" that I would have no trouble getting their rated "Marrette" connectors (about 40 cents each) is proving elusive, now that I actually want some.

Have you tried looking at the "Big Box" stores for the cu/al Marette's, if your wholesaler doesn't have them?

Where I am here in Canada they are on the shelves with the regular ones.

Thanks, MB .... but, alas, they seem to be a 'marketed in Canada only" product. I'm still looking.

Leviton, P&S, and Hubbell have all informed me that they have no GFCI's rated for aluminum wire.